Olena Bondarenko

Biography

Bondarenko was born on 26 May 1974, in Makiivka, Donetsk Oblast. Her father, Anatoliy, is a miner, and her mother is a nurse.

Education In 1991, Bondarenko entered Donetsk State University, Department of History. When at the third year, she entered the Faculty of related and complementary disciplines, with a qualification in journalism. In 1996, she graduated from both faculties.

From 1994 to 1995, she was a writer for the weekly "Donetsk News".

From 1995 to 1998, she was an editor of the information service at "Ukraine" TV channel

In 1998, he was a journalist at "Inter-Seal" TV channel, Donetsk regional office of "Inter" TV channel During that time she implemented two of her own projects: the weekly review of political activities in the region "Labyrinths Of Politics" and "Political Chronicles". During parliamentary elections in 2007, Bondarenko led the Department of Communications of the central campaign office of the Party of Regions. Since December 2007 she has been the member of the committee on freedom of speech and information, Party of Regions faction member since November 2007, member of Ukrainian National Union of Journalists.

In 2012, she was re-elected into parliament on the party list of Party of Regions.

Bondarenko did not participate in the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election.

Bondarenko has been the topic of increased concern with regards to human rights in Ukraine. After a special session of parliament on January 29, 2014, Bondarenko agreed to an interview during which activists gathered around her showing various pictures of journalists who were either beaten or murdered by police during the protests in Kiev. After being asked whether she was saddened by the violence, Bondarenko coldly responded that journalist are in a zone of war and quickly left the room.

On 10 September 2014, she wrote a testimonial about the alarming situation of human rights of the opposition in Ukraine

Family

She is married to her husband, Andriy Bondarenko (born in 1969), whom, from 2010 to 2012 was the Vice Minister of Emergencies